PrepMaticTNPSC · Group 2 & 2A
TNPSC Group 2 syllabus, unit by unit
On this page
- The Group 2 syllabus at a glance
- Prelims Part A: General Tamil or General English
- Prelims Part B: General Studies (75 questions, degree standard)
- Prelims Part C: Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions)
- Main Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test (Group II and IIA)
- Group II Main Paper II: General Studies (code 469, 300 marks)
- Group IIA Main Paper II: General Studies and reasoning (code 583)
- How the prelims and mains units line up
- Using the syllabus well
- Turning the syllabus into a plan with PrepMatic
- Frequently asked questions
- Official sources
The TNPSC Group 2 syllabus has a common prelims (language, degree-standard General Studies and aptitude) and separate mains papers: a qualifying Tamil Eligibility Test for everyone, then General Studies in seven units for Group II, or five units plus reasoning for Group IIA. This page follows Annexure III of Notification No. 11/2025, the latest official syllabus text we checked. News reports describe a 2026 notification (No. 07/2026), so confirm on tnpsc.gov.in that the syllabus has not changed.
The Group 2 syllabus at a glance
| Stage | Paper | Syllabus code | Standard | Covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Prelims | Part A: General Tamil or General English, 100 questions | 495 | SSLC | Seven language units |
| Prelims | Part B: General Studies, 75 questions | 495 | Degree | Six units |
| Prelims | Part C: Aptitude and Mental Ability, 25 questions | 495 | SSLC | Aptitude 15, reasoning 10 |
| Mains (II and IIA) | Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test | none printed | SSLC | Translation, précis, essay, letter |
| Mains (Group II) | Paper II: General Studies | 469 | Degree | Seven units, 300 marks |
| Mains (Group IIA) | Paper II: General Studies and reasoning | 583 | Degree and SSLC | Five units (150 Q) plus reasoning (50 Q) |
The unit-wise question counts below are TNPSC's own split, but the notification calls them "only indicative" and reserves the right to change them slightly. For marks, timing and qualifying rules, see the Group 2 exam pattern.
Prelims Part A: General Tamil or General English
Language is half the prelims paper by question count, and it is set at SSLC standard. The Tamil option (பொதுத்தமிழ்) has seven units.
| Unit | Questions | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| I. இலக்கணம் (Grammar) | 25 | Letters: ல, ள, ழ and ன, ண and ர, ற distinctions, sandhi and consonant-doubling errors. Words: verb roots, verb and noun forms, spelling errors |
| II. சொல்லகராதி (Vocabulary) | 15 | Synonyms and antonyms, one-letter words, several words for one meaning, odd word out, alphabetical order, spoken versus written forms, linking words |
| III. எழுதும் திறன் (Writing skill) | 15 | Building correct sentences (voice, agreement), usage conventions (மரபு) such as names for young ones, animal sounds and collective nouns, punctuation |
| IV. கலைச் சொற்கள் (Technical terms) | 10 | Tamil equivalents of terms from science, education, medicine, management, law, geography, IT and media (examples given: search engine, migration, allergy, gene, nautical mile) |
| V. வாசித்தல் (Reading and comprehension) | 15 | Passages from newspapers, headlines, editorials and government news; meanings of similes, idioms and proverbs |
| VI. எளிய மொழிபெயர்ப்பு (Simple translation) | 5 | Tamil equivalents of everyday English words (pendrive, printer, computer, keyboard), titles of documents, notices, letters |
| VII. இலக்கியம், தமிழ் அறிஞர்கள் (Literature and scholars) | 15 | Twenty named Thirukkural chapters; ethical works such as Naladiyar, Nanmanikkadigai, Pazhamozhi Nanooru, Inna Narpathu and Elathi; Avvaiyar's songs; the service of Tamil scholars such as U.Ve. Saminatha Iyer, Devaneya Pavanar, G.U. Pope and Veeramamunivar |
The notification says Unit VII is based on school textbooks up to SSLC. Study methods are in General Tamil for TNPSC, and the Thirukkural chapters have their own guide at Thirukkural for TNPSC.
The General English option also has seven units with a different split: Grammar 25, Vocabulary 15, Writing Skills 10, Technical Terms 10, Reading Comprehension 20, Translation 5 and Literary Works 15. Its Unit VII names specific poems and prose lessons from school textbooks.
Prelims Part B: General Studies (75 questions, degree standard)
| Unit | Questions | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| I. General Science | 5 | Mechanics, electricity, light, sound, heat, nuclear physics; elements, acids, bases, fertilisers; life science, human diseases, nutrition; environment and ecology; recent inventions |
| II. Geography of India | 5 | Physical features, monsoon, rivers, soil, minerals, forests, agriculture; population and tribes; disasters, pollution, climate change, green energy |
| III. History, Culture of India and Indian National Movement | 10 | Indus Valley to the Marathas, Vijayanagar and Bahmani kingdoms; National Renaissance, early uprisings, Congress, Gandhian movements, Partition; unity in diversity; major leaders |
| IV. Indian Polity | 15 | Preamble, rights, duties, DPSP, Union and State executive and legislature, local government, federalism, elections, judiciary, Lokpal, RTI, human rights, political parties |
| V. Indian Economy and Development Administration in Tamil Nadu | 20 | Planning and NITI Aayog, RBI, fiscal and monetary policy, Finance Commission, GST, agriculture, poverty, education, health; Tamil Nadu human development indicators, welfare schemes, reservation policy, e-governance |
| VI. History, Culture, Heritage and Socio-Political Movements of Tamil Nadu | 20 | Tamil society and archaeology, Sangam to modern literature, Thirukkural, Tamil Nadu in the freedom struggle, Justice Party, Self-Respect and Dravidian movements, Periyar and Anna |
"Current affairs" is written into the text of Units I, II, IV and V. Thirukkural in Unit VI is listed under six themes: its significance as secular literature, relevance to everyday life, impact on humanity, universal values, relevance to socio-politico-economic affairs, and philosophical content. Subject guides: Indian polity, Indian economy, Tamil Nadu history and culture and Tamil Nadu development administration.
Prelims Part C: Aptitude and Mental Ability (25 questions)
Aptitude (15 questions): simplification, percentage, HCF, LCM, ratio and proportion, simple interest, compound interest, area, volume, and time and work. Reasoning (10 questions): logical reasoning, puzzles, dice, visual reasoning, alpha-numeric reasoning and number series. The aptitude and mental ability guide covers formulas and speed.
Main Paper I: Tamil Eligibility Test (Group II and IIA)
This SSLC-standard paper is qualifying only, but every candidate must pass it. The notification lists seven tasks: translation from Tamil to English and English to Tamil, précis writing, comprehension, expansion from a short outline, an essay on Thirukkural themes, an official letter, and knowledge of the Tamil language. Sentence work includes writing your own sentences, telling apart similar meanings, splitting words, antonyms, negative sentences and correcting errors.
The content areas are contemporary events, social problems, the environment, the Indian economy, science and technology, art and culture, rationalist movements (Dravidian and Self-Respect), modern Tamil (computer Tamil, Tamil in courts, Tamil as an official language), and Tamil Nadu's social and economic progress through welfare schemes and reservation. The six essay themes are the same Thirukkural angles listed in prelims Unit VI. Passing rules and preparation are in the Tamil eligibility test guide.
Group II Main Paper II: General Studies (code 469, 300 marks)
| Unit | Marks | Main topics |
|---|---|---|
| I. Modern History of India, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 40 | European arrival, Carnatic Wars, Poligar revolt, Vellore Mutiny, Moderates and Extremists, Gandhian era; Tamil Nadu freedom fighters and women activists; impact of British rule; origin of the social justice idea |
| II. Tamil Society, Culture and Heritage | 30 | Arikamedu, Adichanallur, Keezhadi; Sangam literature; Thirukkural; Vallalar; Justice Party, Self-Respect, Dravidian and Pure Tamil movements; folk arts; World Tamil Conferences. May be answered in Tamil or English |
| III. Social Issues in India, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 50 | Population, health care, child labour, women's empowerment, marginalised groups, urbanisation, communal violence; current affairs |
| IV. Science and Technology in Development | 40 | Robotics, nuclear energy, batteries, polymers, biotechnology and GM crops, nanotechnology, IVF, GIS, computing, AI, cyber security, blockchain |
| V. Constitution, Polity and Governance, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 60 | Constitution, Parliament, panchayati raj and the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act 1994, federalism, judiciary, Lokpal, CVC, CAG, RTI, Consumer Protection Act 2019, Tamil Nadu welfare schemes, reservation and language policy, e-governance |
| VI. Geography, Environment, Biodiversity and Disaster Management, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 40 | Physical geography, agriculture, minerals, energy, industries, pollution, biodiversity (IUCN, CITES), SDGs, Paris Agreement, Tamil Nadu disaster management plan |
| VII. Indian Economy, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 40 | Reforms since 1991, RBI, fiscal and monetary policy, FRBM, Finance Commission, e-NAM, Swaminathan Commission, MGNREGS, labour, HDI, foreign trade |
Group IIA Main Paper II: General Studies and reasoning (code 583)
| Part and unit | Questions |
|---|---|
| A-I. Modern History of Tamil Nadu, Tamil Society, Culture and Heritage | 30 |
| A-II. Administration of States, with reference to Tamil Nadu | 45 |
| A-III. Science and Technology in Development | 20 |
| A-IV. Tamil Nadu Economy and Social Issues in Tamil Nadu | 30 |
| A-V. Geography of Tamil Nadu, Environment, Biodiversity and Disaster Management | 25 |
| B. General Intelligence and Reasoning (SSLC standard) | 50 |
Of the 150 General Studies questions, 130 sit in units with Tamil Nadu in the title. Unit II is the largest block: the Constitution, Tamil Nadu's administrative structure, district administration (from the Collector down to the Village Administrative Officer), e-governance, and welfare schemes since 1990. Part B lists 27 reasoning topics, including analogy, coding-decoding, puzzles, dice, direction and distance, Venn diagrams, calendar, permutation and combination, mirror images, embedded figures and square completion.
How the prelims and mains units line up
| Prelims unit | Group II Paper II | Group IIA Paper II |
|---|---|---|
| III. History and national movement | I | A-I |
| VI. Tamil Nadu history and culture | II | A-I |
| IV. Polity | V | A-II |
| V. Economy and development administration | VII, with parts of III | A-IV, with parts of A-II |
| II. Geography | VI | A-V |
| I. General Science | IV | A-III |
The match is by topic, not word for word, and the mains units go deeper and add items such as computing and biotechnology. The practical lesson: learn each prelims unit once, then deepen it. Thirukkural alone appears in prelims Part A Unit VII (Tamil option), prelims Unit VI, the Paper I essay, Group II Paper II Unit II and Group IIA Unit I, so it pays for itself five times.
Using the syllabus well
- Treat each phrase in the unit text as a checklist item. "Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act 1994" and "Consumer Protection Act 2019" are named, so questions can be framed on them.
- Weigh your time by question counts. In prelims the language paper has 100 questions and Units V and VI together have 40 of the 75 GS questions; in the Group IIA paper the Tamil Nadu units dominate.
- Settle early whether you are aiming at Group II, IIA or both, because the Paper II preparation is different. The Group 2 vs 2A guide helps you decide, and the Group 2 study plan schedules the units. For the descriptive paper, read Group 2 mains preparation.
Turning the syllabus into a plan with PrepMatic
PrepMatic's free assessment (about 15 untimed multiple-choice questions) shows your weakest subjects, and the study plan spreads your syllabus across the weeks to your exam date, using the daily hours and study days you choose. You can set Tamil as your exam language, so questions and mocks appear in Tamil. All practice is objective, so it suits the prelims and the Group IIA Paper II format; PrepMatic has no descriptive answer practice for Group II Paper II.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Group 2 syllabus the same as Group 4?
The six General Studies unit headings are the same, but Group 2 prelims is degree standard while Group 4 is SSLC standard, and Group 2 adds a descriptive or CBT mains. Group 2 prelims also keeps a General English option for Part A. Group 4's Tamil paper now works differently, as explained in the Group 4 syllabus.
Is there a separate syllabus for Group 2A?
The prelims is common. In the mains, Group IIA takes the same Tamil Eligibility Test but a different Paper II: 150 General Studies questions in five units plus 50 reasoning questions, as an objective computer-based test.
Is current affairs part of the Group 2 syllabus?
Yes. The words "current affairs" appear in prelims Units I, II, IV and V, in Group II Paper II Units III to VII, and in Group IIA Units II to V. The current affairs guide explains what window to cover.
Is Thirukkural in the Group 2 syllabus?
Yes, in five places: prelims Part A Unit VII of the Tamil option (twenty named chapters), prelims General Studies Unit VI, the Paper I essay themes, Group II Paper II Unit II and Group IIA Paper II Unit I.
Where can I download the official Group 2 syllabus?
The syllabus is Annexure III of the Group II and IIA notification on tnpsc.gov.in. Check the 2026 notification as well, since a new cycle can revise a unit.
Official sources
- TNPSC Group II and IIA Notification No. 11/2025 (PDF): Annexure III has every syllabus listed here.
- TNPSC official website: notifications, annual planner and the current syllabus pages.
Confirm unit lists and question counts in the latest notification before you start preparing.
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